Barbara Haas' "Jammies and Jewelry" just featured certified gemologist, Teresa Benedetti.  Melia Hord took the following notes:

JAMMIES & JEWELRY

Sunday, September 11, 2011

2 Diamond Designer -Teresa Benedetti,

Understanding the fine jewelry world and how we compare!

 

 

Jewelry - you either love it or you don't wear it.

This is phone call is to give you CONFIDENCE!

 

Do you get the question: Is that costume jewelry??

It is actually gold, silver, rhodium, semi-precious and precious gem stones, and it is manufactured mostly with component across the world and made here in the USA.

 

The first time in the history of the world = 24K gold (99.99) is giving a return $1800/ounce!

Most of the Middle Class is not allowed to buy gold b/c it is too expensive and people

are in debt with credit cards.

 

We do NOT wear pure gold!

It is too soft! It scratches, it bends and it twists.

  • 24K gold is 99.99
  • 18K is 75% gold and the other 25% is copper, tin and nickel
  • 14K gold is almost 55% gold and 45% copper, tin and nickel. We can add color to make it more yellow, pink or white!
  • 10K gold is more copper than actual gold!

In the USA 14K is used the most b/c we are primarily white Caucasian and higher gold looks to bronzy, yellowy for us. We like whiter gold.

 

The trends in jewelry tend to go more to money makers!

 

Do you get the question: Will this make my skin turn GREEN?

Ladies - Quite possibly this might happen! You must be careful on how to answer this as body language or how you answer this can be taken wrong. You may want to ask with a big smile "Let me ask your heritage because our PH Levels in our skin vary." Depending on what we eat, and the amount of acid we put in our body, changes the PH Level.

 

You must teach your guests and your team to CLEAN your jewelry!!!

If you had the most expensive pair of Italian boots and you wore them every day, and went in mud puddles, and never polished them - how long do you think they will last?

They were expensive, they were good shoes, but do you think they will last?

 

Break the ice ladies and talk about other scenarios so people can understand how to care for their jewelry.

 

Do you get the question: I don't wear this jewelry?

The woman in the back of the room tells you this as she is sporting a David Yurman ensemble. A great way to respond to this situation is to say - "you must travel frequently because

 

Our base metal is almost pure pewter.

Premier Manufacturing will never manufacturer our entire collection to be fiscally responsible. Our plants are extremely volatile due to fumes and production environment. Other manufacturers are in Rhode Island (old school artistry). It used to be the place where most high end companies made their jewelry (such as Monet, Christian Dior, etc.) but they have taken their business overseas to be made by slave/child labor. Premier works diligently to make sure we do not deal with such work conditions.

 

Get hold of one of the old training tapes to learn more about the manufacturing process. You need to be proactive and learn more.

 

Premier is proactive to understanding the industry and their competition!

  • We do buy competitive pieces to compare our product to theirs.
  • We have 40% more precious metal and stones that our competitors.
  • If we get to 3% of quality control (showing 3% manufacturer defects), they pull that line of product back to figure out what is wrong.
  • We act through excellence as it honors God. We do not try to do "a little better" than our competitor. We strive for excellence as it honors God. Premier understands that selling this jewelry feeds our family.
  • **** In most stores and our industry, there is any "acceptable defect rate". This is unacceptable for Premier!

 

Did you know that most manufacturers' defects show up in the first 60 days if worn? And Premier does not send a recondition piece - it sends you a brand new piece! Premier is going to take care of your return. You can have confidence in this!

 

We have a REALLY great product. Understand your product.

            Go to other jewelry stores and ask them about their products!

            Look at our rings! WE have intricate detail in our rings; our molds are intricately made! GO pull out a piece that has a lot of detail - look at how it is made! Is there anything in the open spaces caught in there that shouldn't be? Are all the stones set the same direction? Is it smooth? Etc. Premier's quality is fantastic. Competitors in our industry can NOT believe our pricing and the price point we offer in retail - let alone cost. It's unheard of for the quality and detail we give!

 

We have designer inspired pieces.

You don't need to name the designers that our pieces are inspired by. There is a tremendous amount of Italian designers. We have other designers such as John Hardy, Avery, David Yurman, etc.

Just for a point of reference: Brighton is high-end jewelry and it is not fine jewelry and it is not made in the USA!

 

But most high end designers today are not just using gold and precious metals. They are using rubber, titanium, and steel! Do your homework!

Popular styles right now:

Yurman, something that looks like bamboo or from the country of Bali, or the hammered look, (such as the Hamilton bangle, paramount pieces, Madrid ensemble - very high-end look/visual). The brassy tones are huge right now used by the high-end industry b/c it is too expensive. Whimsical - very high end look;

 

Do your homework!

Buy Towne & Country magazine or go to the Bookstore and look through the magazines. Then buy the ones that you find pieces that match our collection! There are a ton of companies that do the high-end look. Find them! Buy the magazine b/c people have paid to put that advertisement in there. Put the pages in a binder and bring it to your show. Let the customer see it and tell them during your presentation "Girls this is what happening in our industry! Take a look! Make sure you have all the verbiage on the ad! Look at the market trends. And what I have on my display table is some affordable alternatives to the high-end look with out the price tag.

 

The posts on our earrings are hypo allergenic - they are either surgical steel or titanium. We don't use nickel in our precious metal mix so what goes against your skin has is no nickel. But it is in our plating process for the base.

 

Rhodium is $3700 an ounce. It is a platinum derivative. (Teresa thought $.40 ounce was a lot for ice cream). It is very expensive. Our pieces that are rhodium look like platinum. 

 

Our hemilite pieces are popular.

Manhattan is RIGHT on the market! It is fluid, liquid metal (lots of little chains put together). Those black metals are being utilized b/c they are less expensive and they are being used across the board.

 

If people say they have allergies:

Lead them towards the high whites (rhodium) or pearls or stones and semi precious stones.

 

Did you know that 60% of our line is $40 or less.

 

Your boutique has to be open to all Four Personalities!!!

 

  1. The Fringe is HUGE - it is a hard hitting piece for the FALL!!! Layer with your chokers! Pearls and fringe is huge now!
  2. Gateway - absolutely spectacular!
  3. Anytime there is a recession you will see more flower pieces
  4. Our line is spectacular! It is the best line ever and our design team has done an amazing job!
  5. The Manhattan necklace is a trend setter with the liquid metal look!

 

Dunkin Donut commercial has the Manhattan necklace in it!

Go to major department store websites and look at their jewelry pieces and compare. Great "sprinkles" at your shows .... You can find something like this on Nordstrom's

 

Glamour magazine - page 140 show pieces that resemble our Naomi ring and the Manhattan!

 

We have to educate ourselves in our industry!!!

 

Teresa's email: Terebnt@aol.com


Gayle Foster
Premier Designs

Platinum Executive Director